Burma's PM to visit Laos, Vietnam

Burma's prime minister, Thein Sein, will pay an official visits to Laos and Vietnam this week.

The lieutenant-general, who was officially declared prime minister last month, is scheduled to meet the prime minister of Laos and Vietnam's president.

Burma's junta provoked international outrage in September when it violently suppressed the biggest demonstrations against its rule in 20 years, killing at least 13 protesters and locking up thousands of people.

At the time Vietnam called on all concerned parties in the country to exercise restraint and solve differences through peaceful negotiations.

Laos said the situation in Burma was an internal affair.

All three countries are members member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

A Burmese official says the prime minister will attend the ASEAN summit later this month in Singapore.